The Milk-Eyed Mender

Joanna Newsom is the single greatest female artist to come out of the 21st century. A true talent and a true rarity.

This is an artist I really, really wanted to like. As others have said, she is obviously a stellar songwriter and harpist/pianist. The girl absolutely knows how to craft a melody, and the harp is an instrument so rarely featured in most popular music, so it’s really refreshing to have an artist who’s finally bridging that gap and bringing it into a contemporary context.. I’ve now listened to this album and “Ys.” I have concluded that though she is a wonderful musician, she should have hired a singer other than herself to contribute the vocals, or, just done instrumental albums. The girl can’t sing to save her life. The vocals quite literally sound like a five year-old whose first language is not English. It is kind of painful to listen to, especially when she attempts to hit those high notes and squeaks/is audibly off-key. Why a producer didn’t say something, or at least stabilize the pitch, or autotune it in the studio, is beyond me. If I were one of “her people,” I would have gently suggested to her that she hire a singer. It’s just embarrassing, because the songs are otherwise beautifully crafted. Maybe this is just what hipster music is, though? Not sure...

God-awful, but I downloaded it.

The first song off this album I ever heard was “Bridges and Balloons.” It nearly brought me to tears, which rarely happens with me. Ever since I have been hooked on this album. It is an incredible work of art, and brings countless colors and images to my mind. This is not to mention the poeticism of the lyrics that is like nothing I have seen before. Joanna Newsom is truly gifted, and her music is bound to be remembered.

It never cease to amaze me what people call art and music.

i think this album is magical. joanna’s music isn’t for everyone, but if you let her in, you will find yourself surrendering to her voice and her words. clam, crab, cockle, cowrie is my favorite song of all. forever.

She is Great ! I mean her style of music is more than interesting ! Very unique/one of a kind. One must listen to more than what is being played to actually understand and enjoy her music.

A reviewer said they would like to hear Joanna sing in a "normal" voice. Well, following this album she did and look what happened. Sales were no where near her screechy, strained key debut. This album is a wonderful and fleeting gift that will never be again. Her doctor told he she was destroying her vocal chords with this style so she ceased. She switched to long renaissance like ballads in a normal voice and sorry, as much as I love Joanna for this gift to us of an album, the later work is a snooze that lacks the sing-a-long melodies, the raw spirit, and the straightforward unabashed honesty. The new stuff is pretentious and less approachable as a result of time changes that are less natural. THIS is THE Joanna Newsom album. Even if she risked her voice by attempting the raw style again, she is a different person now and I doubt she could recapture the youthful bravery or the fragile tenderness again. This album is a moment in time, so buy it and cherish it. "and yonder wild and blue, the wild blue yonder looms".

Joanna Newsom is beautiful and everything she does is beautiful; If you have a different opinion, that's fine because she's not for everyone, but please don't insult her. It's really not constructive or helpful. It's just mean and disgusting. Like I said, she's not for everyone.

I listen to all genres of music but honestly I've never come across anything like Newsom. The combination of her instrumental skills and her unique voice are almost indescribable. She's not for everyone but she's still phenomenal in her own right.